Voices in the Dark
by Brother Mirtillo
Summary: Alone. Cold. After living on the streets for so long, Maureen Connor finds certain thoughts looping through her head more and more often. This December, her emotions take a new shape, especially with Static pursuing her.


_Maureen, Virgil, and any other "Static Shock" characters aren't mine, but their messages can go to anyone._

_God bless you, no matter what that holiday or blessing might be._

/ / /

I'm safe inside a heap of snow –

for how much longer, I don't know.

That Static guy's inside my home!

Why can't he just leave me

_he'll lock you up he'll lock you up_

me alone?

I hear somebody step outside,

I shed the snow that helped me hide.

And there he goes. He flies away.

I run inside. I'm still okay.

Inside the building, dark and wet,

those voices I just can't forget

go quiet as I cross their space

and turn their eyes to miss my

_stay away don't look at them stay away don't look at them_

my face.

But here's my door and here's my hall,

where no one ever goes at all.

With walls of ice from roof to floor,

they don't annoy me anymore.

My eyes straight forward _don't look around_

I hear them whisper, grumbling sounds.

My room's still safe, the ice untouched.

I don't fear dark, at least not much.

I've got my bed, that frozen mass,

my angel sculpture, just like glass.

It makes me quiet, I feel calm,

just like the photo of my mo—

my—

It's gone! _He stole it!_ Gone! _He stole it!_

HE STOLE IT!

I clutch my head and scream so loud my eyes are closed my body bowed

the wind and snow a spiral shroud shut off the world outside the cloud

he stole it stole it! all I had! my head it hurts _you're going mad_

...

I'm on the floor, on hands and knees.

The wind is slowing to a breeze.

I swat the snowflakes from the air

Then gasp to see what isn't there.

It's all a wreck! My room's been trashed

with every frozen object smashed.

My bed's a heap of shards and wood,

there's nothing where my dresser stood.

The cave of ice is scoured smooth—

Do I hear groaning from the roof?

I jump up fast, I turn and run

Into the sight of

_you've ruined everything you've ruined everything_

of everyone.

I flee their frightened eyes and shouts,

their fists and yells. I'm gone. I'm out.

It's dark beneath the clouds, like night.

I'm running neither left nor right.

My breath is heavy, and the wind

just stabs my coat right to my skin.

But when I glare, my power glows

and all the howling winter slows.

_That bully, he did this to you_.

I'll get it back is what I'll do!

I run downtown, but I don't know

the first direction I should go.

A family's walking store to store.

I shout out who I'm looking for.

The kids are laughing – did they hear?

But then their mother quickly steers

her kids around me, walking quick.

I try to shout, but I feel sick.

I turn again – that couple, there!

With snowflakes catching in their hair!

But if they hear, they don't slow down.

I'm begging, turning all around.

Those three guys – one guy – there's a bus!

Then someone barks, "Don't bother us."

_Don't bother you?_

_DON'T BOTHER YOU!?_

I see the guy, the fancy suit,

the brand-new coat, the shining boots,

his eyes and mouth a sour scowl.

I scream and let the snowstorm howl.

When I'm surrounded with the wind, I shove my hands right out at him.

As people scream and scatter wide, the freezing blast of wind collides

with him and sends him flying back to hit a building with a crack.

He shouts and falls and hits the ground, I'm running forward, glaring down,

now-where-is-Static?answer-me!he-points-and-yells,"the-city-tree!

the-lights!the-speeches!over-there!"I-fling-more-snow-and-freeze-the-air,

he-coughs-and-chokes-on-all-the-snow,"y-you-Bang-Baby,let-me-go!"

_Fine._

I drop the snow. I turn and run.

There's yelling still from everyone,

but I don't care, and they don't chase.

Instead, I focus on her face:

the only family I had,

no sisters, brothers, never Dad,

and now you- _no, she CAN'T be gone!_

I see the light and hurry on.

That Static guy, they say he's good—

_He couldn't be!_ He never should

have come within a mile of me!

I round the bend, and then I see

that tree go up so tall and wide,

all wrapped with colors, every side,

but in my way's a giant crowd.

Up front's a stupid speech. It's loud

and stuck-up, said by some old man.

But then I see somebody stand.

_It's him._

IT'S HIM!

I charge ahead, I'm pushing through

the crowd, and now they're angry, too,

but they won't get a chance to fight

because the wind's already white.

I feel the glowing in my eyes.

The people run with frantic cries.

The creaking tree contorts and sways,

and now there's no one in my way.

He's looking scared, and he should be!

He better give it back to me!

I run at him. My soaking feet

won't stumble on an icy street.

He lifts his hand – his power sparks,

and lightning surges through the dark.

He strikes me, and I'm paralyzed!

And then he's flung me up so high.

I fly into a heavy crash –

I've fallen like discarded trash.

I stand up, try to see his face

_he only thinks you're in his way_

I scream below the stormy sky and a tornado hears my cry

with snow and wind surrounding me I feel the power that I need.

He tries to strike me but my wall of ice defends me from it all.

I throw another storm at him to send him flying in the wind.

He doesn't yell he doesn't speak he tries to block _he thinks you're weak!_

He-can't-touch-me!I-jump-and-slide-to-hit-him-from-the-other-side

he-runs-and-hides-_you-coward!thief!_I-cast-the-storm-and-grit-my-teeth

he-yells-at-me!but-I-don't-care!with-snow-and-ice-to-fill-the-air

here's-winter-like-he's-never-seen!he-struggles-falls-and-yells–

...Maureen?

...He knows my name?

He tries to get up from the snow and offer help _he's lying! No!_

_Nobody cares about you!_ All the blizzards hear my latest call!

He tries to calm me down and say he wants to help-but-there's-no-way

he'd-ever-know-what-I've-been-through-because–

...

_...what?_

...he lost his mother, too?

...

The blizzard slowly fades and dies,

as both my hands fall to my sides.

His face is soft, his voice is cracked.

His hand takes out my photograph.

He gives it back to me, and while

I see my mother's image smile,

I'm aching with the choking breath

and pain I've felt since Mommy's death.

I've lost the anger I expressed,

there's nothing left but emptiness.

There's only me, alone again,

with only winter for a friend.

My throat gives out a sobbing sound.

My knees give way, I hit the ground.

My tears are freezing on my cheeks.

My nose runs hard with dripping leaks.

I think my head's about to split

with ice and what I've done with it.

I feel my breathing going colder,

I–

...He's put his hand upon my shoulder.

I turn to him.

I hug him tight

to block away

the icy night.

He kneels with me

and hugs me too.

His presence

feels like

something

new.

This...

feels...

Warm.


End file.
